I think I have to bump up the stars since my last beer experience here…read more On our latest trip to our northern neighbor we had another beer from Driftwood that we immensely enjoyed. That beer was the Spiff Corn Lager. It was such a refreshing beverage to have as we were ready to get out of the hot mugginess of summer. Flavor features with this delightful beer are a natural sweetness along with crispness and a clean finish. The beer is very light bodied and extremely persuasive in having you get another one.

We researched before traveling and knew we needed to stop by for a Fat Tug IPA for my partner. We…read morehad a round then a group of people who had already drank away enough of their inhibitions for the day sat down next to us: we opted to leave. As I paid the tab they were asked to leave. We opened a second tab and were so glad we did. We truly had a lovely time. The staff were thoughtful and offered great and friendly service. By dealing with an uncomfortable situation they made us feel comfortable staying for a second round. If we lived here, we'd be back! I loved the raspberry sour! So light and refreshing!

While in Victoria, BC during a port stop on a cruise we went on an Ale Trail excursion and the…read morefirst of three stops was Whistle Buoy. Talk about hitting out of the park with the first stop! Whistle Buoy is located in a Market Square that's a beautiful open air area surrounded by shops, boutiques, restaurants, assorted businesses, and vast tracts of land with chairs and tables. Since it's surrounded by buildings on all four sides the wind would be challenged to ruffle your hair once inside. For this stop of the Ale Trail excursion we were each allowed one glass (not a taster...a full 12oz glass) of one brew. They have roughly a dozen taps that run the typical gamut of beer styles. I immediately gravitated toward the Shaft Coffee Stout. Not my usual go-to, (I'm usually more of an IPA / Pale Ale kinda guy) but something about "Dark. Coffee. Chocolate" grabbed my attention (Here's the part where Jim has an advantage. Jim's wife doesn't drink beer, so Jim gets her selection, too, so she (ok, I) chose the Froth Hazy Pale for hers (ok, for me).) I didn't expect the highlight of the excursion to be the very first beer I had, but the Shaft Coffee Stout was quite possibly the best beer I've ever had. It was smooth and rich and had such an amazing flavor. Honestly, it was more like dessert. I'm not saying my wife's beer (ok, my 2nd) wasn't awesome, it's just that the Shaft set the bar REALLY high. ( I'm just talkin' 'bout Shaft! ) Our group sat in the outdoor, covered beer garden, the weather was slightly overcast, and we were surrounded by like-minded beer lovers (except my wife, who donates to my cause.) As we sat the Market Square was busy with life as people walked their dogs, visited businesses, and a group of elementary school kids was escorted through the square. Sometimes it's nice to sit back and watch the world go by. The restrooms (gender neutral, thank you) are small...ok, tiny. There's barely enough room to change your mind. I do have to call attention to two things, though. First, it has the tiniest sink I've ever seen. Surely this thing had to be custom made. Second, they have a Code of Conduct posted on the wall, which I genuinely appreciated. Nothing outrageous, just a focus on respect and common decency. If I were able to get Shaft Coffee Stout at home I'd never leave home (actually I would just to get more Shaft Coffee Stout). It was only a brief visit to Whistle Buoy Brewing, but if I ever found myself living in Victoria, BC, there is no doubt this is where I'd hang out.

Really nice and relaxed atmosphere, beautiful patio! Fun selection of beers but the ones I had…read morewere maybe a little lighter than I prefer. Super fun and easy stop!!

These guys got a 5 star bump for the vibe and the fact that they sell limited releases on site!…read more We wandered in during our beer(ish) tour and we're happy to learn they have tastings available! They were offering a total of 8 beers which made it perfect for two of us to come in! Sample from lightest to dark and with explanations of each, it was an excellent $5 each! They have a focus on hoppy ales but also had some fun imperials! The Imperial peach IPA was a "grab one for later" good beer and the NW pale ale was delicious! The actual bar wasn't huge but had a great feel and was roomy enough for about 30 people. We had a nice chat with some folks at our table and after the flights bought a couple for Home. The Imperial Peach IPA was magic and the Orange Cherry Rye ale - their take on a Manhattan was not as epic, but still good! All said and done, the beer was solid, the converse pleasant and the digs cool. Great spot!

Our last stop before boarding the ferry at Swartz Bay to Vancouver:…read more We had an enjoyable time at Vancouver Island Brewery while waiting for the ferry. Lucky for us, we were able to savor the last few days of warm sunshine on their patio. We went during happy hour and flights were only $5. There were a lot of choices including Lemon Drop Star Anise Sour and Merri Berri Cider. The food menu is limited. We ordered a bag of chips and a jar of salsa and both were very fresh and tasty. One jar was not enough. We ordered another one to finish off the rest of the chips. They also allowed us to bring outside food to pair with their full flavoured beers. On the table: Happy hour flights: Tuesday-Thursday 3-6pm 5 Adrianas Corn Chips & Justos Mango Jalapeno Salsa (| GF | Made in Victoria) 10

What to say about this fabulous place...The bartender was so wonderful. Both of them. This was my…read morefirst and last stop of the night. Holy brazier! My friend from Chicago told me this was the place to stop. He's my dive bar guru. What a win! I didn't eat there and I don't know that they have food but they have braziers! And amazing bartenders, and live music, and it's frikkin awesome! GO!

A very cool bar to check out while in Victoria. They have cider, beer, and full bar for cocktails…read more The aesthetics inside were nice and ladies if you feel compelled you can leave your bar behind! Overall a cool dive bar spot

Great poutine. Very poor service. Decent beer. Went out of my way to go to this pub for a proper…read morepint. That was a mistake. Won't return. Sad about that.

Friendly service. Popped in for a quick refill. Had me an…read moreIrish Slammer. And was back on the trail

Great happy hour. Had the lager on tap- turned out to be Phillips Tilt and it was great. It was…read morequiet inside and nice and cool and it made a great rest stop during our very busy day sightseeing. Service was great and we loved the music.

Our group decided they wanted to try a local pub while we were in Victoria for our last night of…read morethe cruise. After a quick search on Yelp we settled on The Churchill so they could try several different local beers. I opted for the featured cocktail of the month Into The Wild with blackberry gin, blueberry liqueur, honey, lemon & orange bitters. I thought it was really good, smooth but potent. When visiting Canada, I thought it was mandatory to get the Poutine - Beer battered fries, squeaky cheese curds, homemade beef gravy. Very filling and did not disappoint. The rest of the family liked their choices (Nashville Hot Grilled Chicken Burgers, Pulled Jackfruit Bun) as well. We sat in a large booth instead of at the bar like most of the regulars and locals. Service was a little slow but would not keep me from coming back.

The local was a great place to watch the FIFA matches. Not a bad seat in the house to see the…read morescreens. Food and services were great! Loved the nachos.

We stopped at this restaurant on the way to another place because my friend wanted to try the…read moreCanadian poutine. Honestly, it ended up being pretty disappointing, and I wish we had just stuck with our original plan. I wasn't hungry, so I didn't order anything, but my friend was really looking forward to the poutine. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The bacon was cold, there was way too much of it, and the whole dish felt heavy and kind of unpleasant to eat. She's had poutine in Canada before, so she had something to compare it to, and she said this version just wasn't very good. One thing that seemed a little odd was that nobody asked if we wanted to take the leftovers home. It almost felt like they knew people don't usually finish it. The service was fine, nothing special. The atmosphere felt more like a sports bar than somewhere I'd go out of my way to visit. Overall, I wouldn't come back, and I definitely wish we had gone to the restaurant we originally planned on trying instead.

We didn't know this pub was right next to our hotel. The ambience was pretty good. It's suitable…read morefor hangouts, game night or Happy Hour. Room service is also provided for guests at Marriott. We ordered the following : 2 of 6 oz red wine ($14), Crispy Dry Ribs ( Happy Hour price $11), Chicken Wings ($18), Chicken Quesadillas ( Happy Hour price $11) and Guacamole for $4. Ribs were tender and crispy. Honey garlic wings were pretty tasty. Although there were few of chicken pieces, Quesadillas were tasty too. There was Blue Jays vs Dodgers match happening last night. Majority of patrons were having fun watching the game. Trivia nights are also happening from October 20th through December 6th! I'd definitely return to this pub on my next visit!

Blimey can I get a drink or whaaa!?!…read more Bartholomews Pub is centrally located in the heart of Victoria, across from The Empress Hotel. It is your ol skool dark & inviting British style pub. The woodwork takes you back a few decades. My bro & I were wondering around & stumbled upon this joint. Our curiosity got us inside. Great bar service & great drinks. I will definitely go back when next I'm in town. Be warned - it ain't cheap to drink here. Tbh, I don't know of a cheap watering hole in Victoria. Cheers!